Montréal vs Ottawa: which is sunnier?
🇨🇦 Canada vs 🇨🇦 Canada · 177 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Montréal and Ottawa are virtually tied for annual sunshine — about 1,981 vs 2,034 hours a year. Ottawa has the higher Sunshine Score in 1 of 12 months; the other 11 are within 2 points.
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.
At a glance
| Montréal | Ottawa | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 1,981 | 2,034 |
| Sunniest month | September (74/100) | September (75/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 0/100 | 0/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 71/100 | 73/100 |
| Rain / year | 1,080 mm | 979 mm |
| Peak midday UV | 6 (high) | 6 (high) |
Montréal vs Ottawa month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montréal | Ottawa | Montréal | Ottawa | Montréal | Ottawa | |
| January | 0 | 0 | -5° | -6° | 66 | 61 |
| February | 0 | 0 | -4° | -5° | 64 | 55 |
| March | 0 | 0 | 2° | 2° | 73 | 64 |
| April | 18 | 19 | 11° | 11° | 92 | 85 |
| May | 67 | 69 | 19° | 19° | 95 | 85 |
| June | 70 | 72 | 23° | 23° | 112 | 104 |
| July | 72 | 73 | 26° | 26° | 101 | 98 |
| August | 71 | 74 | 25° | 25° | 103 | 88 |
| September | 74 | 75 | 22° | 21° | 88 | 87 |
| October | 29 | 30 | 13° | 13° | 115 | 99 |
| November | 0 | 0 | 6° | 5° | 79 | 73 |
| December | 0 | 0 | -2° | -3° | 92 | 80 |
The sunnier month by month: Jan even · Feb even · Mar even · Apr even · May even · Jun even · Jul even · Aug Ottawa · Sep even · Oct even · Nov even · Dec even.
When to pick which
- November–February: too close to call — Montréal averages 0/100, Ottawa 0/100. Daytime highs are similar (-1°C vs -2°C). See the winter sun ranking.
- March–May: too close to call — Montréal averages 28/100, Ottawa 29/100. Daytime highs are similar (11°C vs 11°C).
- June–August: too close to call — Montréal averages 71/100, Ottawa 73/100. Daytime highs are similar (25°C vs 25°C).
- September–October: too close to call — Montréal averages 52/100, Ottawa 53/100. Daytime highs are similar (18°C vs 17°C).
Full month-by-month guides: Montréal weather by month · Ottawa weather by month · Best time to visit Canada.
More comparisons: Montréal vs Montréal · Montréal vs Quebec · Montréal vs Burlington · Ottawa vs Montréal · Ottawa vs Burlington · all head-to-heads